Becoming a Fair Work Nation

Consultation

Easy Read Version

November 2021

Becoming a Fair Work Nation Consultation

Easy Read Version

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Introduction

People in Scotland should have a good working life. Fair Work pushes success and wellbeing. The pandemic and leaving the EU mean it is the right time to look at the challenges and actions needed. It is important to work across the government and with all our partners. We must focus on the inequalities that damage society and workplaces. We want to get rid of poverty and discrimination. Opportunities should be for everyone. We want Scotland to be more inclusive and equal. People and communities feel valued, included and empowered. We have a 10-year plan. This will help us transform. Scotland will continue to work towards an economy with Fair Work. Working with partners we have seen improvements. However the next few years are important to develop. We want to become a Fair Work Nation. We can get this right with your support and help. We are asking for views on how to make Scotland a Fair Work Nation. This will help us update our plans in 2022.

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What is Fair Work?

Fair Work is central to our plans. It is good for workers, employers and Scotland. The UK Government manage employment law. The Scottish Government cannot make changes to this law. However we want to push Fair Work policies. We want things to be better for workers. Fair Work offers all individuals a voice, opportunity, security, fulfilment and respect. It has the rights and responsibilities of both employers and workers.

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Background

The right to good conditions at work is in United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is a global agreement. The Scottish Government is committed to Fair Work. Fair Work supports the economy and the job market. We need to change the way we view work and workplaces. The long-term effect of the pandemic on the job market may be large. It may have affected our health and wellbeing. We know that Fair Work can help mental health and wellbeing. We are committed to working with partners to make healthy workplaces. Mental health and wellbeing is supported and spoken about. We will help those the pandemic has affected the most. We will target support for families and households on low incomes. This will include training and employment support. We will support the wellbeing of children and young people. We know they have been affected by the pandemic.

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Good working policies have developed. Services should encourage these. Many things effect our economy and society. All have an impact on the job market, work, on workers and on workplaces.

Many services are developing. Changes such as working patterns, skills and IT. We will work with all sectors. Scotland should remain forward thinking for Fair Work. We should build on services working together. Central to this is policies that deliver greater, greener and fairer success.

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What does a Fair Work Nation look like by 2025?

The Scottish Government believes Fair Work should be available for all workers. Fair Work is key to making productive and forward thinking workplaces. They will deliver worker wellbeing.

Government and partners have a role in making Scotland a Fair Work Nation. It benefits people and communities as much as employers and the economy. We will build on the principles of healthy economic growth, ending inequalities, and a green recovery, this means meeting climate change targets and environment aims.

We will work with employers to create the conditions needed to deliver all our goals.

How workers see work effects all their life. Fair Work means having financial security and better physical health and mental wellbeing. It means equal opportunities at work. It lets people enjoy a place of no bullying and discrimination, this helps people live happier lives.

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We know that the best decisions for workers and employers are made together. We know that jobs should be secure. Secure jobs let people have choice and control. This reduces stress. Fair Work means different things to different people. Everyone should be able to get and keep a good job. This will mean a secure and good retirement.

Many employers in Scotland already have Fair Work policies. They provide safe and secure workplaces. They have positive workplaces and staff have their voices heard.

It is better for employers to have respected and committed staff. Staff do their job better and stay in the job. It can also improve wellbeing. Fair Work supports a more committed and skilled workforce.

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Working with our partners to deliver plans we will: • improve key issues such as employment and

pay gaps for women, minority ethnic and disabled workers. Build a more diverse and skilled workforce

• roll-out of Fair Work First across the Scottish

public sector. To help improve the working conditions for those delivering public services

• improve the voice of workers

• have better pay, conditions and secure jobs.

More flexible and family friendly working • improve worker wellbeing, Have safer

workplaces with less accidents • a skills system that helps people in their

career.

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What we have done

Scotland has made progress and has a lot to be proud of. Progress has been made on key issues like the disability employment gap, youth unemployment, gender and ethnicity pay gaps, secure employment and working together. Fair Work First We do not have power on employment law. However we are pushing Fair Work rules. We will invest in public services to make this happen. Public services can apply for grants and other contracts to agree to Fair Work by: • develop the workers having a voice. This can be

through a union. This is a group of workers that together protect and further their rights.

• no zero hours contracts • action to tackle the gender pay gap and create a

more diverse and inclusive workplace • pay the real Living Wage • offer flexible and family friendly working from day

one of employment • not fire and rehire people.

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Real Living Wage

The Scottish Government is committed to the real Living Wage. It provides pay based on the income needed for a good living standard. Fair Pay is important to Fair Work. The number and how often hours are worked is very important. Employers must pay the real Living Wage and give a contract of hours worked. This should guarantee at least 16 hours a week (unless the worker wants less). People should be told 4 weeks in advance if shifts are cancelled.

Disability Employment Gap

The disability employment gap had been reducing. This was because more disabled people were getting jobs. The gap became larger in 2020. This may be because of the pandemic. But we are still on target to halve the disability employment gap. The Scottish Government and partners have three key priorities: • support disabled people to get jobs • support employers to employ and keep disabled

people in jobs • young people and transitions and better support

employers.

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Gender Pay Gap

The gender pay gap became smaller in 2020. We will continue to work in partnership to support women working in Scottish agriculture. This includes working in farms.

Race employment

There is inequality in employment. We support making sure minority ethnic people can access, stay in or progress in employment. We are commitment to tackle racial inequality in the workplace.

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Further progress

We are on a journey to becoming a Fair Work nation. The Fair Work in Scotland Report 2020 says what needs to be done. The job market has changed since 2019 and will continue to change.

Public sector leadership

The Scottish Government will continue to provide leadership. We will work with the public sector to push Fair Work. We will work in partnership with employers, unions and councils. Services need to have Fair Work to get public sector funding. Fair Work is important to our economic plans. It also supports the new Human Rights Bill. This Bill has economic, social and cultural rights in it. We will also match EU law, policy, and standards. Scotland is able to continue to enjoy the high standards we had as a part of the EU. It will make it easier if Scotland re-join the EU.

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Key sectors

We will continue to support key sectors of the economy to improve fair working. We will promote Fair Work in other areas where it is needed. The Scottish Government believe good child’s early learning and childcare needs a good workforce. Fair work supports this. Services delivering childcare need to commit to fair work practices. All private and third sector providers delivering funded childcare will get funding to allow them to pay staff the real Living Wage. We will continue to work with the social care sector to push Fair Work policies. Fair Work in Adult Social Care is important for long term improvement. This is not just for staff but those they support. We will create a National Care Service to deliver care and improve standards. It will make pay and conditions better for workers. It will provide better support for unpaid carers.

In construction we will work to for it to be an important part of the Scottish economy. It will have policies that will help it have more diverse and inclusive workplaces. Where workers have greater security of pay and contract, they can develop their skills and have an effective voice in the workplace.

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More powers

We could do more if the Scottish Government had employment law powers. We could make workers’ rights better. We could make sure all workers get paid the real Living Wage. We could stop things that make the workplace bad for people.

Beyond 2025

Our job market and workplaces will continue to develop. We will work together with employers, workers and union. Fair Work is at the centre of our economy. We will build an economy for everyone by delivering greater, greener and fairer growth. This will fight poverty and lead to better health and social results.

Measuring success

We will measure our success across the main areas of Fair Work. We will report annually on our plans. We will think about that is needed to keep Fair Work at the centre of the economy. We will make Scotland a Fair Work Nation.

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Consultation questions Fair Work in your sector 1. What is the main sector you work in?

Sector Please select main sector

Accommodation and food

Activities of embassies

Activities of households as employers

Admin and support service

Agriculture, forestry and fishing

Arts, entertainment and recreation

Construction

Education

Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply

Financial and insurance

Human health and social work activities

Information and communication

Mining and quarrying

Other service activities

Professional, scientific and technical activities

Public administration and defence; compulsory social security

Real estate activities

Sewerage, waste management and remediation activities

Transport and storage

Water supply

Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles

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2. What are the main opportunities for having Fair Work in your sector?

3. Please explain how you think these opportunities can be increased?

4. What are the main challenges to Fair Work in your sector? 5. Please explain how you think these challenges can be sorted?

Please include any ideas and support needed.

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Fair Work in the economy 6. What do you believe are the barriers to Fair Work?

7. What do you believe are the opportunities for Fair Work?

What more is needed for Fair Work 8. Please comment any more action you think the Scottish Government

should take to deliver Fair Work for everyone.

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9. Who should take this action? Fair Work and employers’ powers 10. What issues should be a priority to deliver Fair work? Further ideas 11. What is the most important thing that you or your organisation can do

to help Scotland become a Fair Work Nation?

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12. Please use the box below to tell us about anything else and any ideas you might have on the action that will be needed to achieve this.

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Responding to this Consultation

This consultation was launched on 1 October 2021 and will run until 23 December 2021. You can submit a response at any time before the closing date. Please give your answers online at https://consult.gov.scot/fair-work-employability-and-skills/fair-work-nation You can save and return to your responses while the consultation is still open. If you are unable to use our consultation hub, please complete the Respondent Information Form and send it to: Becoming a Fair Work Nation Consultation Fair Work Unit 6th Floor, 5 Atlantic Quay 150 Broomielaw Glasgow G2 8LU

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Handling your response

If you respond using the consultation hub, you will be directed to the About You page before submitting your response. Please tell us how you want your response to be handled and if you are happy for your response to be published. If you ask for your response not to be published, we will do what you want and treat it as confidential. The Scottish Government has to follow the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and would have to consider any request made to it under the Act for information about the answers made to this consultation. If you are unable to respond via Citizen Space, please complete the questions above and return with the Respondent Information Form included in this document. To find out how we handle your personal data, please see our privacy policy: https://www.gov.scot/privacy/

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Next steps in the process

Where respondents have given permission for their response to be made public, and after we have checked that they contain no potentially defamatory material, responses will be made available to the public at http://consult.gov.scot. If you use the consultation hub to respond, you will receive a copy of your response via email. Following the closing date, all responses will be analysed and considered along with any other available evidence to help us. Responses will be published where we have been given permission to do so. An analysis report will also be made available.

Comments and complaints

If you have any comments about how this consultation exercise has been conducted, please send them to the contact address above or at fairworkvision@gov.scot

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Scottish Government consultation process

Consultation is an essential part of the policymaking process. It gives us the opportunity to consider your opinion and expertise on a proposed area of work.

You can find all our consultations online: http://consult.gov.scot. Each consultation details the issues under consideration, as well as a way for you to give us your views, either online, by email or by post. Responses will be looked at and used as part of the decision making process, along with a range of other available information and evidence. We will publish a report of this analysis for every consultation.

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RESPONDENT INFORMATION FORM Please Note this form must be completed and returned with your response.

To find out how we handle your personal data, please see our privacy policy: https://www.gov.scot/privacy/

Are you responding as an individual or an organisation?

Individual

Organisation

Full name or organisation’s name

Phone number

Address

Postcode Email

The Scottish Government would like your permission to publish your consultation response. Please indicate your publishing preference:

Publish response with name

Publish response only (without name)

Do not publish response

We will share your response internally with other Scottish Government policy teams who may be addressing the issues you discuss. They may wish to contact you again in the future, but we require your permission to do so. Are you content for Scottish Government to contact you again in relation to this consultation exercise?

Yes

No

Information for organisations: The option 'Publish response only (without name)’ is available for individual respondents only. If this option is selected, the organisation name will still be published.

If you choose the option 'Do not publish response', your organisation name may still be listed as having responded to the consultation in, for example, the analysis report.

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ISBN: 978-1-80201-606-2 (web only)

Published by The Scottish Government, November 2021

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